MEDIA 5/16
SENTINEL
More Problems For Ostrow
"A Hollywood man sued criminal defense attorney Gary Ostrow on Thursday, claiming that Ostrow misrepresented his qualifications when he was hired to defend the man's son in a death-penalty case."
Satz Loses First Degree Murder Charge On Speedy Glitch
"The 4th District Court of Appeal ruled last month that Broward prosecutors violated Quenten "QT" Walden's right to a speedy trial by waiting more than a year to indict him."
Palm Beach Judges Interact With The Community
"A game show-like format for an educational program sponsored by the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office brought teens and state judges eye-to-eye recently for a learning and fun experience."
DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW
State’s chief judges granted only limited powers to eliminate court positions in budget crisis
"Chief judges were told today they have limited flexibility to decide where to cut 198 circuit and county court positions statewide — victims of the state Legislature’s budget ax in a lean year.
The state Trial Court Budget Commission with representatives from all 20 circuits convened in a packed Tampa conference room to frame the cuts taking effect July 1. Layoff notices are planned the first week of June.
Once they get back home, chief judges will be allowed to cut only court administrators, case managers, law clerks, general magistrates and the magistrates’ support staff.
Judges are exempt from the cuts as constitutional officers. Their judicial assistants, senior judges, top court administrators and chief court technology officers also will not face cuts under an $11.5 million salary reduction.
The commission will prevent chief judges from reducing any single area by more than two-thirds and voted on the maximum number of people any section could lose. An overall goal is to maintain a similar level of service statewide."
Allowing jurors to ask questions of witnesses has been a hit at state level
THE NEWS-PRESS
Rauschenberg's Death Nullifies Art World Suit Over His Trash
More Problems For Ostrow
"A Hollywood man sued criminal defense attorney Gary Ostrow on Thursday, claiming that Ostrow misrepresented his qualifications when he was hired to defend the man's son in a death-penalty case."
Satz Loses First Degree Murder Charge On Speedy Glitch
"The 4th District Court of Appeal ruled last month that Broward prosecutors violated Quenten "QT" Walden's right to a speedy trial by waiting more than a year to indict him."
Palm Beach Judges Interact With The Community
"A game show-like format for an educational program sponsored by the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office brought teens and state judges eye-to-eye recently for a learning and fun experience."
DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW
State’s chief judges granted only limited powers to eliminate court positions in budget crisis
"Chief judges were told today they have limited flexibility to decide where to cut 198 circuit and county court positions statewide — victims of the state Legislature’s budget ax in a lean year.
The state Trial Court Budget Commission with representatives from all 20 circuits convened in a packed Tampa conference room to frame the cuts taking effect July 1. Layoff notices are planned the first week of June.
Once they get back home, chief judges will be allowed to cut only court administrators, case managers, law clerks, general magistrates and the magistrates’ support staff.
Judges are exempt from the cuts as constitutional officers. Their judicial assistants, senior judges, top court administrators and chief court technology officers also will not face cuts under an $11.5 million salary reduction.
The commission will prevent chief judges from reducing any single area by more than two-thirds and voted on the maximum number of people any section could lose. An overall goal is to maintain a similar level of service statewide."
Allowing jurors to ask questions of witnesses has been a hit at state level
THE NEWS-PRESS
Rauschenberg's Death Nullifies Art World Suit Over His Trash
The JNC has made the first cut in the nomination process for Judge Spechler's seat.
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The rule regarding qualifications applies ONLY TO COURT APPOINTED COUNSEL. A defendant can hire whoever he wants on any criminal case. He can hire a divorce lawyer to handle a death penalty case if that's who he wants. Koppel and Alanez should know that. There are no minimum qualifications for private counsel, so there was nothing to misrepresent. Nice job making this BS story a headline; whatever Ostrow's problems are, he's a good lawyer. The only murder case I saw him handle was dropped in Judge Holmes' courtroom.
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how long will adria quintela be able to protect all the corrupt broward lawyers........... is the chief thief FRED LEWIS still intent on quashing complaints because it makes the oinks in robes look bad.
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I wonder why Tobin won't move Gardiner. Does he care about the circuit or winning reelection? I think most judges agree she should be moved. The fact that he appears weak and afraid instead of deferntial to judicial independence as I'm sure he categorizes it will hurt him in 2009. So long Vic you are a complete disappointment.
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Feiner makes comments about those who live in a hovel and gets moved aka promoted to county civil while ana (we all know who and what she did) goes no where?
Goldenberg gets an oppenant and the next week becomes admin judge for family?
is anyone surprised that vic has lost control since damoorgian left?
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It seems like the judge's running for re-election are not working too hard. This CERTAINLY applies to Judge Avalos. In her civil cases she is impossible. Uncontested matters (i.e. evictions where defendant does not put money in the court) are taking as long as 3 weeks. It is a joke. Shutter, who still manages to leave at 2pm signs stuff in 24 hours. Fishman signs everything right away. Avalos needs to spend a few hours at her desk
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gonzales and dijols are phoning it in too
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Yeah!!! The should all follow Help Me Howard Finkelstein's example of not even bothering to show up at work.
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The JQC needs to look into this. If other judges are covering while they campaign then it's cheating.
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Lazarus is doing the MM DVU trials
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subscribe me
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gardiner should get the max if she did it. u go to trial with her you always get the max. that's the rule. how many lives have been destroyed by this capricious policy. what goes around comes around.
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From: Fake Jake Thompson, Esq. And Gadfly.
To: Chief Judge Fred Moreno
RE: 13th Floor
Dear Judge Moreno:
Perhaps you remember me from 60 minutes, or C-Span, or my near miss run against Janet Reno in the 1980's. She actually smacked me, for which I had a criminal investigation conducted. My right shoulder has never been the same since. Anyway, I digress.
It has come to my attention that the new federal courthouse has 13 floors. I hereby demand you either add or subtract one floor for the following reasons:
1) The number 13 is the sign of satan.
2) Several bad things happen on the 13th floor of different buildings in the new video game grand theft autoIV, including simulated oral sex, simulated anal sex, simulated vaginal sex, and simulated pool. Young children should not be exposed to billards before the age of 18, according to several reliable psychological studies.
I demand that you fix the building or I shall see you in court, and NOT on the 13th floor. The ball is in your court- fix it now, or pay later. Either way, this should be fun.
Sincerely,
Fake Jake Thompson, Esq., and Gadfly. (you will note that Jake Thompson has 12 letters, and with good reason I may add. But "federal courts" have 13 letters and that is a very bad sign for you.)
FKT, E&G.
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When does the Broward County Judiciary hit rock bottom and start to bounce back up? It doesn't seem like any time soon. It's embarassing that Ana Gardiner is the current Chief Criminal Judge. In her 10 or so years as a judge, Ana Gardiner has played fast and loose with the rules. It has all now caught up with her. The allegations against her are overwhelming.
Let's not forget that it was the formerly mighty Dale Ross that put Judge Gardiner there. For some reason current Chief Judge Vic Tobin won't take her out.
I don't think Tobin underdtands that this is a powderkeg waiting to explode. If he were smart Tobin would take her out of criminal -- you know like when a cop shoots someone they put him/her on desk duty. I guess Tobin's not smart. Or perhaps he is afraid of Gardiner. Let's not forget that corrupt jailbird Ken Jenne is Gardiner's best friend.
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Don't kid yourself. Any friendship is a thing of the past. "Best friend?" Not even close.
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Ostrow can't even go into restaurants without heavy hitters in politics coming up to him and asking him to stay in the race, noone can stand howie. This article in the sun sentinel was crazy, what was the story anyway! The outpouring for support for Ostrow is not so much an indication of the heartfelt for Ostrow but it also indicates the distrust and anger towards howie, he drew and opponent in both the Democratic primary and the general election and don't be suprised if Alex wins in September. Alex is just a sweet guy who has plenty of knowledge in that head of his, he is just a low key bright guy who related well to people and would make an excellent public defender, and doesn't have all these other devils playing in his head.
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Give me a break. There might be 5 people who are the Howie haters and they spend their days blogging hoping someone will listen. I was eating at a restaurant recently and Howard came in and he got the celebrity treatment from attorneys and non-attorneys. It's amazing that an article criticl of Ostrow will get these same 5 idiots talking. You are starting to sound like that Jack guy in Miami.
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The special requirements to handle capital cases applies to both PD's and privately retained counsel. The rule is 3.112. I just read it and it says:
(c) Applicability. This rule applies to all lawyers handling capital trials and capital appeals, who are
appointed or retained on or after July 1, 2002. Subject to more specific provisions in the rule, the
standards established by the rule apply to Public Defenders and their assistants.
While the judge after a hearing can waive the requirements of the rule if the judge believes the attorney has the necessary skills, the rule itself applies to privately retained attorneys. I guess that divorce attorney referred to earlier should stick to divorce cases. It's amazing what you can learn when you actually sit down and read the rules. Amazing.
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"Let's not forget that corrupt jailbird Ken Jenne is Gardiner's best friend."
Not anymore. He listed her as a witness for his sentencing and she no showed.
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I was there at the sentencing and saw Judge Gardiner. She was there. Were you?
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When you have people like Bob Butterworth and the family members of Maury Hernandez (BSO officer who was shot in the head and is still making an amazing recovery--Jenne held vigil with them at the hospital daily and even managed to make it to the hospital on the day he publicly resigned to leave them a note at 6am stating his intentions and that he would still be available as a friend to their family and was praying for Maury etc) on the list to testify for you, I don't see why you wouldn't skip Gardiner. I'm pretty sure she was listed as a backup in case one of the statewide movers and shakers couldn't show.
When you're putting on witnesses in a sentencing hearing, as some of you who are attorneys know, you pick and choose so as not to annoy the judge with cumulative or repetitive evidence. J. David, class act that he is, probably decided that Butterworth (his old trial partner in the SAO) and the others were sufficient and Gardiner might be excessive. She came to support him anyway, which I thought was the best she could do. Considering the fact that she's an elected official and the public outrage over Jenne was so out of control at that point, I think that simply showing up out of support is sticking her neck out for him. A bold move.
I wonder if some people who post on this blog can divorce themselves from the identities of the parties and consider that act of loyalty for the risky endeavor it was. It seems like most who post here are quick to insult and not so quick to defend-- and this is anonymously. It takes a tough constitution to stand by a friend in tough times... especially when you're an elected official.
Everything you say about Gardiner aside... you cannot dispute she was loyal to Jenne until the end and remains so today.
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That was me above...
I re-read and realized I wasn't clear about Butterworth for those of you who are new around town. Butterworth was KEN JENNE's trial partner in the state attorney's office.
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Looks like our judges are doing more politicking than hearing cases, it's true. Guess they want to keep their cushy jobs. Looks like a few are fixing to get bumped anyway.
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You're a selfish, balding, middle aged man who is making quite a fool of himself running for public office. The UNIVERSE is more tolerant of a young fool than an old fool.
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Little howie is far from a celebrity, his ego has him thinking he is, but he can't get it any further than here. And you must be on his paycheck are you one of his assts making over $110,000. You have mentioned before that it is only the courthouse people that can't stand little high heeled howie, well that consists of more than five, and think of all there families and there friends, there are plenty of people that can't stand little howie. And it doesn't take any kind of personality to do his one minute show, he is BORING. Let someone else fill in for him and you wouldn't even know he was gone.
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"I was there at the sentencing and saw Judge Gardiner. She was there. Were you?"
What did she say on behalf of her good friend to the judge?
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The 4th DCA are a bunch of morons.
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Holmes was there and testified. Gardiner wasn't there. She held Court in 4900. November 16, 2007. If you think you saw her at the sentencing, you don't know what she looks like.
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Russell Williams is a death penalty attorney? Since when? What two penalty phases has he tried THROUGH VERDICT AND RECOMMENDATION? Probably should have looked at his own qualifications before he tried to get his butt buddy Koppel some business.
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I wish ANONYMOUS you had the balls to call me or at least post your name when you are doing name calling. This way I can make fun of you as well. ALthough I have only tried 1 death penalty case, client received life, I have tried over 20 cases last year alone. I also tried a multiple death case where my client was charged as a principle, to these deaths, in an alleged drag race. First time this theory was advanced by the state in this county, let alone the state. Client acquitted. I led off this year with an Att. Murder LEO, before J. Levenson..client acquitted. The court in Dade was very concerned with Mr. Ostrows Qualifications, they called the homocide unit in Broward, and appointed a special public defender to act as a guardian to the defendant to make sure the case was being handled properly. You see Mr. Ostrow was attempting to advance a murder for hire theory which is potential statutory aggravator..bad move in a death case..But ANONYMOUS you are right since I handled only 1 death case I am technically not qualified under the rule. SOOO..knowing that I brought in co-counsel, Stuart Adelstein, who is extremely qualified and has handled well over 20 death cases. So I did the right thing. As for the lawsuit, I initially did not want my client to make an issue over the money with Mr. Ostrow but when he comes out with the statement he has 200K of his own money and my client mortgaged his home to pay a lawyer who was not qualified, he asked me for a referral. So I referred him to my friend. I have lots of them..friends..do you? Now post a response with your real name so I can poke fun of you. BTW if you want to substantiate anything I just stated go look at the court file in Dade like the Herald did.
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I was late to the sentencing but I spoke with her outside. I would assume she came in after court. the sentencing continued until 2pm or so if I remember correctly.
She didn't testify.
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Hey Russell. I like you. I always have. I'm not the douchebag who posted before. You are an excellent lawyer. Could use a little work on your political speechmaking for John Howes but nobody's perfect. I just wanted to say bravo for coming on here in your own name to defend yourself.
And by the way, the word is "principal" not "principle" as you were intending to use it.
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Screw them Rus. You are a hell of an atty.
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